Bradley Risinger, Raleigh Office Managing Partner, Fox Rothschild LLP

In an interview with Invest:, Bradley Risinger, managing partner at Fox Rothschild, discussed how North Carolina’s growth is intensifying competition in the legal market and shaping the firm’s priorities in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Greensboro. The conversation also covered regulatory uncertainty, local market knowledge, technology, and the qualities Fox Rothschild seeks in the next generation of lawyers. “Lawyers aren’t going to go out of existence because of AI, but the lawyers who don’t incorporate AI into their practices are not going to be able to compete,” Risinger said.

What changes over the past year have had the greatest impact on your business, and what have they revealed about the legal trends and risks clients are managing today?

I think the biggest change in North Carolina is that many businesses and people want to be here. We are one of the top states for attracting businesses, capital, and new residents. That makes our market dynamic and competitive because law firms that were not originally here are coming to compete for the business these companies create.

All of the markets in North Carolina are growing substantially. We are working hard to build our teams across Raleigh, Charlotte, and Greensboro, so we cover the major urban areas and can adapt to the needs in each place.

What skills will matter most for the next generation of legal professionals, and how is the firm preparing that talent pipeline?

In a place that is growing substantially, we need people who are trained or want to be trained in healthcare, real estate, labor, and basic litigation and dispute management. Those are the pillars we need to build around.

When so much is changing in the business environment in each of our markets, we also need people who can communicate clearly and directly with clients and who are comfortable with technology, including the same technologies our clients and vendors are using.

The market for legal services is being challenged not only by work being done in-house by clients but also by artificial intelligence. If you are going to compete, you have to understand how to incorporate those tools into your practice. Lawyers aren’t going to go out of existence because of AI, but the lawyers who don’t incorporate AI into their practices are not going to be able to compete.

How is today’s legal and regulatory environment influencing business investment and expansion decisions in North Carolina?

The biggest challenge companies face when considering relocating or growing existing operations here is the changeable nature of the regulatory and legal environment. We went through a period in the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s when that climate was fairly stable, and people knew what they were getting into when moving to a particular area.

Now, regulatory structures change frequently based on elections and political philosophies. Court decisions regarding administrative overlays are also shifting rapidly. That places a significant burden on lawyers serving clients, vendors, and communities to stay nimble as regulatory and administrative environments change.

How is the broader macroeconomic environment affecting your clients and the professional services industry?

People seeking to invest in our markets have to look much more closely at the economic underpinnings of a move. They need to determine which economic components of moving into an area are lasting and which are more transient.

That is why, with a platform like ours, we believe we can respond to local needs with the support of a large body of lawyers across the country who have significant expertise. Everyone has to be more nimble in assessing investments because conditions are not as predictable or stable as they once were. 

Local lawyers need to understand the political, economic, and incentive environments, including what a city, county, or state can and cannot do to attract a business. Just as politics is local, investments, relocations, and business decisions are inherently local. We have more than 30 offices, so we bring many different perspectives on what it takes to do business in a marketplace, backed by national expertise.

How is the Raleigh office positioning itself to support clients whose local business decisions have national implications?

Raleigh is a dynamic business and healthcare market because of the universities and the businesses that come here through the entrepreneurship and investment opportunities they create. The pillars we are trying to grow around are related to the opportunities created by those universities and the businesses they attract.

Our healthcare platform is important because of the hospitals and research occurring in the Triangle through the universities and their affiliated medical centers. Our land use and real estate practice is also important because we are adding so many people. That growth increases development needs and creates pressure on municipalities and the approval process. 

Labor is another important growth area because new people are moving to the region, and human resources structures have to adapt. Investors want to know people can receive good healthcare, enjoy a good quality of life, and access robust services. They also want a law firm that understands how to get business done, how to get a project approved, and who to speak with locally. Understanding the local market is paramount to earning the trust of people who want to invest there.

What legal or policy issues are you watching most closely as North Carolina enters its next phase of economic growth?

The extent to which universities and the businesses tied to them pursue opportunities in technology and artificial intelligence is important. We have many businesses locating in North Carolina because of the university structure and available land.

A great deal will depend on how the General Assembly and the executive branch work together to attract new businesses on a bipartisan basis and address parts of the state that are recovering or trying to grow alongside the rest of North Carolina.

Western North Carolina continues to face recovery issues from flooding and storms. Eastern North Carolina also faces challenges in ensuring development opportunities reach counties that are further behind. I think the current governor and executive team have done a good job focusing development on all 100 counties, especially those that have been slower to benefit from the growing economy.

What are your top priorities for the office over the next several years?

Our priority is smart people who understand technology and the different ways communication is going to change. I am trying to help build an office and infrastructure that will be here long beyond me.

We are looking for people who are eager to be here, feel a connection to the communities where we operate in Charlotte, the Triad, and the Triangle, and are enthusiastic about the changes coming to the profession.

We thought the biggest changes would involve adjusting after COVID to where people needed to work and how often they wanted to be in the office or remote. That does not compare with the seismic change technology is bringing to how we serve clients.

How we practice today is different from how we practiced 24 months or even 12 months ago. We have forward-looking people in the firm whose role is to consider what legal practice may look like over the next 12 to 24 months and in five to seven years. Everything is changing quickly. We need nimble thinkers, regardless of practice area, who can adapt. Those qualities will help ensure success in the legal profession.

Is there anything else you would like readers to know about North Carolina’s future?

One of the most significant dynamics Raleigh faces, both as a municipality and for the people who work there, is that regional collaboration is becoming increasingly important. 

North Carolina should not approach growth as separate needs for Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem. Instead, the state has developed a stronger statewide focus among lawyers, accountants, vendors, and economic development partners as it recruits businesses. North Carolina offers a broad set of resources, a strong university system, and a business climate with diverse environments and workforces across the state. I think the state has done a good job presenting those statewide resources and maintaining a broader focus on opportunities available throughout North Carolina.